Athletics Hall of Fame inductions

By John Hartrick

Binghamton University's athletics department enshrined its 2009 Hall of Fame class at the 14th Annual Induction Ceremony on Friday, Oct. 2. Elected to membership for 2009 were (pictured from left to right below) track athlete Jewdyer Osborne (1994-98), wrestler Lester Ware (1979-82), track athlete Kate Mullins Zanot (1998-01) and tennis player Adam Marcus (1994-98). The ceremony, which took place at the Events Center, was part of Homecoming weekend.

Marcus was a five-time All-American who spearheaded the rise of the men's tennis program in the mid-1990s. He qualified for the NCAA Championship all four years and led Binghamton to three consecutive NCAA team berths. Marcus was ranked as high as No. 18 in the country in singles. He ranks second all-time in career doubles wins (64) and is third in career singles wins (74).

Mullins Zanot was a two-time Division II All-American in the pole vault. She placed sixth at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championship and was seventh at the 1999 outdoor nationals. She won a pair of ECAC pole vault titles and was Binghamton's Athlete of the Year in 2000-01. A versatile athlete, Mullins graduated as the school record-holder in the pole vault, 400 hurdles, javelin, heptathlon and as part of the 4 x 400 relay.

Osborne became the track program's first national champion when he captured the 110-meter hurdles title at the 1998 NCAA Outdoor Championship. It was the last Division III competition for any athlete at the University. Osborne was a five-time All-American who was also a national runner-up in the 55-meter hurdles at the 1998 NCAA Indoor Championship. He was a two-time University Athlete of the Year.

Ware was the NCAA runner-up at heavyweight in 1980. As an unseeded junior at the national championship, he won four matches (three by pin) to reach the final. Ware placed among the nation's top 7 three times, earning a fifth-place finish as a junior and a seventh-place showing in a field of 62 wrestlers as a freshman. He was the University's Athlete of the Year in 1979-80.

The Binghamton University Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1996 and this year's class brought the total number of members to 71.